Apparatus for mounting thin metallic foil on carrying webs



Oct. 7, 1947. 2,428,385-

APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING THIN METALLIC FOIL 0N CARRYING'WEBS R. 5. REYNOLDS 4 Sheds-Sheet 1 Filed May 12, 1943 Oct. 7, 1947. R. s. REYNOLDS 2,428,385

APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING THIN METALLIC FOIL 0N CARRYING WEBS Filed May 12, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. s. REYNOLDS APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING T-HIN METALLIC FOIL ON CARRYING WEBS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 12, 1943 nxllln- I l Oct; 7, 1947. R. s. REYNOLDS APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING THIN METALLIC FOIL ON CARRYING WEBS Filed May 12, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HIM- WU? w w wn m M \W m w m u wl a n "M M Q thinner than approximately .0035" Patented a. 7, 1947 @UNl-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING THIN METAL- LIC FOIL ON CARRYING WEBS Richard S. Reynolds, Richmond, Va.

Application May 12, 1943, Serial No. 486,722 7 Claims. (Cl. 154-37) The present invention of exceedingly thin metallic foil as, for example, aluminum foil, on carrying webs such as paper.

The thin aluminum foil mounted to both faces of a paper web provides a structure which has the appearance of a unitary foil structure and also substantially all of the advantages of the latter, 1. e, a structure which is light-proof, moisture-proof, insect-proof, non-toxic, and non-tare. I nishing, and the structure possesses the unique material. However, it has heretofore been regarded as commercially impractical to mount foil (approximately 30,000 square inches per pound) because the fragility of foil of lesser thickness causes frerelates .to the mounting I the cost of two separate operations for mounting quent web breaks and interruptions to laminating operations {by the foil mounting machine, and,

, ited the employment of such splendid protective material to the higher quality products in the field of packaging articles and substances which deteriorate when subjected to air, moisture, ligh or any one of said three conditions. It is the specific object of the present invention to provide a method which will enable the mounting of exceedingly thin metallic foil, par-' ticularly aluminum foil, onto paper or other webs, and to provide appa atus for carrying out the method. Thus, by means of my method and apparatus, aluminum foil of a gauge down to .00012" (approximately 555 square feet per pound) may be mounted at high speed. The characteristic of my method is the initial providing of a, roll of foil consisting of at least two webs of foil placed face-to-face and wound together into the roll, and, in the mounting operation, the maintenance of the said two webs of foil in face-to-face relation, so that one will support the other, until one of the foil webs is adhered and supported by a paper or other web at which point the unadhered foil web continues to be supported not only by its associated foil web but by the paper until said second foil web receives its own support by adherence to the same or a second paper web; and,-in this manner, the use of metallic foil, particularly aluminum foil, may be greatly extended. This follows because, first, the metal-cost factor is very substantially lower; and secondly, my method dispenses with foil to both sides of a web substance and provides a single operation. Further, in one phase of the invention, a single operation provides a roll of foil and paper webs united together in such man-- ner that the foil lies at the opposite faces of the paper web and is bonded thereto, so that upon inspection the product appears as a unitary sheet of foil of a certain thickness, the thickness bein determined by the gauge of the paper plus the foil gauge;

My method and apparatus will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in

which: I

Figure 1 is a view in elevation, partly in dotted lines, consisting of a vertical section through one form of apparatus for carrying my method into effect, the two webs of foil receiving adhesive, the apparatus being'farticularly adapted for hot melt adhesive.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view, showing certain elements of the structure of Figure 1, but with the paper web so led thatadhesive is applied to one side of the paper web, adhesive also being applied to one of the foil webs.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a modified form of machine and so constructed that suitable water-soluble adhesives can be applied to the outer surfaces of a double foil web.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary schematic view showing the manner in which the two foil webs-are brought into adhesive contact withthe opposite sides of a paper web being wound into roll form.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a further machine modification characterized by means for dipping the paper web into a hot melt Figure F7 is a fragmentary plan view showing a 1 web of paper, a web of foil lying on the same and intermediate adhesive, indicating by dotted and Y full lines the preferred side boundary positions for these elements.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, showing the foil wider than the paper and its applied adhesive which is preferred when the adhesive is applied to the paper,

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side ele-' vation showing more in detail the counterbal- 4, showing drum 4, thence over a tension roller to a surface rewind roller 6. This rewind roller is hollow.

and may be externally heated as by a gas flame impinging thereon from gasburner I. It has a hollow shaft 8 appropriate for communication with the interior of the rollerso that the roller maybe internally cooled by water or other fluid. The paper web p leads to a rewinding roll 9, the latter being on a shaft l0 which may be mounted in two slide bearing blocks II, the opposite sides of the blocks being channelled, in practice, so as to be received by the spaced supporting arms l2 of a bracket carried by frame I.

The rewinding roll 9 is driven by the said surface rewind roller 6 and a companion surface rewind roller 61: of like construction. Each roller 6 and 60: carries a pinion indicated at [3 and l3:c, driven by a gear I 4.

In the structure of Figure -1 at least two foil webs, such as aluminum, are wound upon foil roll I 5, the foil webs being in face-to-face relation. These foil webs are led over guide rollers I6, I62: and thence to adhesive transfer rollers I 'I, "1:, so that each of the foil webs receives adhesive on the outer face thereof. Adhesive transfer roll 11 receives adhesive from an intaglio knurled cylinder l8 which rotates in an adhesive fountain l9, the adhesive being controlled in thickness and width by the intaglio surface-area of the cylinder, aided by doctor 20 applied to the cylinder, as customary in gravure printing. Likewise, transfer roller Ila: is in contact with an intaglio roller 2l in the adhesive bath of a fountain 22, the intaglio surface-area of cylinder Z] coactlng with a doctor 22 to control the width and thickness of a film of adhesive being transferred by transfer roller I 10:.

Fix, the two webs of foil, each carrying a film of adhesive, meet smoothing spindles 23, which spindles rotate reversely to the direction of movement of the foil webs. The foil webs meet the paper web as it is being wound into roll formation, in the manner illustrated in Figure 4.

It will be understood with reference to Figure 1, that the adhesive transfer rollers H, "a: may be offset .one from the other so that each will have a kiss contact with the foil webs. The reason for this is that with the mutual positions of the said adhesive transfer rollers as shown in Figure 1, they should be driven at exactly the same speed as the rewind rollers 6 and 6x or be provided with a slip drive and the necessity for such precaution is eliminated when the said adhesive transfer rollers act together to impose traction upon the foil. I

The manner in which the two foil webs are brought onto opposite faces of the paper web, by simultaneous or substantiallysimultaneous adherence thereto, is illustrated by the diagrammatic view, Figure 4. The paper web p is brought into contact with the adhesive face of foil web 1 slightly in advance, of the time at which the adhesive-carrying foil web j meets the opposite face of the paper web. This opposite face is presented to the adhesive-covered foil web ,7 by the 4 A turning of the paper and foil into convolutions upon the winding-in roller 9.

From the above it will be seen that the method and apparatus provide the laminating of foil upon a paper web and simultaneously on opposite faces of thepaper web in the operation of winding in the laminated structure. This is an important feature of the invention because it greatly reduces handling of the foil as compared with customary methods, it greatly speeds up the laminating operation, it simplifies the laminating apparatus, and substantially reduces costs.

It will be understood that the winding in roll 9 may be counterbalanced in such. manner that as its weight increases through the taking up thereon -21 driving a weight carrying chain 28 in such manner that the weights are successively brought into counterbalancing relation to the winding in roll 9. In Figure 2 the structure is substantially the same as that illustrated in Figure 1, but the paper web 12 is led by a guide roller 29 over the adhesive transfer roll Ila: at which point it immediately receives and adheres the foil web I. The two foil webs f and f are maintained faoe-to-face and thus in mutual supporting relation until their support is augmented by 'the adherence of foil 1" to one face of the paper web. The three webs, two foil and one paper, with the foil web I covered at its outer face with adhesive, reach the wind-in roll 9 and immediately foil web f is adhered to the opposite face of the paper web pv as it is brought down in the convolution-forming action of roll 9, as will be understood by reference to Figure 4. 1

In all'of the apparatus modifications, the principle of my method is employed; Each of the various forms ofapparatus has its special advantages with respect more particularly to the typeof adhesive employed and, incidentally, to an improvement in the mounting and counterbalancing of the .win'ding-in roll.

In the structure of Figure 3, a suitable cold adhesive such, for example, as water-soluble adhesive, may be applied to the outer surfaces of the two foil webs, or, when desired, a hot melt coating maybe applied to the outer surfaces of the foil webs or to one surface of the paper web. The length of travel of the paper web is increased to permit substantial dehydration of the web by heat treatment, the object of which is to substantially expel the water content and up to the point where further dehydration might impair the tensile strength of the paper, this expelled water being replaced by water of a water-soluble adhesive coating when employed.

In said Figure 3 the paper web p is ledover a tension roller device 30, the tension being controlled by the position of the weight 3|. The paper then passes over drying drums 32, 33 which may be heated by gas burners 34 vor in any other suitable manner. The paper web then passes between two idler contact rollers 35, 36, the latter being maintained on a swing arm 31. At this point the upper surface of the paper web receives adhesive-coated foil web I. The two foil webs f and f are fed from a roll 38 on the frame I over idlers 39, 40 and 4|, the last two rollers being, carried by a swing arm H which supports I adhesive transfer roller 43 to which adhesive is applied by intaglio adhesive transfer cylinder rotating in an adhesive bath contained in pan 45. A doctor 4'8 may control the thickness of the film on cylinder 44. By this means the web I receives adhesive, the two webs pass from a smoothing roller 41 to and between the rollers 35 and '36 having only "kiss contact with the latter and then pass over an idler l8 and upwardly into contact with an adhesive transfer roller 49 whichreceives adhesive from intaglio adhesive cylinder 50 rotating in a bath of adhesive contained in pan I applied to cylinder 60. Roller 49 is preferably mounted on a swing arm 493:. At thls point the three websare carriedunder a smoothing spindle 53 which smooths down the adhesive on foil web 1. The three webs then pass over hollow temperature-controlled surfacerewind roller it which acts in conjunction with temperaturecontrolled surface rewind roller 54m. The latter roller is positioned at a lower height than the former roller. These rollers carry pinions indicated by the dotted lines 55 in mesh with a drive gear 58 so that rollers 54, 64.2: are driven in clockwise direction.

The combined structure comprising-three webs, i. e., a central web of paper and a foil web bonded to each of its opposite faces, is wound upon rewinding roll 9 by the action 'of the surface rewind rollers 54 and 54.1: in the manner indicated in Figure 4.

The mounting'and counterbalanclng of the rewind roll 9 is the same as'that indicated in Figure 1, with the exception that the two sets of spaced arms i2, each of which receives between A doctor 52 may bej e 66, both being idlers. The paper web then passes over guide roller 61 and into register with a suitable heating device which, in the present instance, comprises twohollow trough-like members 88 which throw upon the opposite faces blasts of hot air, to-condition'the hot melt adthence to-the hollow surface-rewind rollers H and 12, these rollers carrying pinions in mesh with a drive gear 14 for clockwise rotation of said surface rewind rollers.

In the operation of this apparatus, the two foil webs are successively adheredto'the opposite faces of the paper 'web in the manner illustrated in Figure 6.

When the usualtypes of adhesive are applied to a web surface for adhering the same .to a

. 'Thisspreading action generally is greater in thecase of non-absorbent web such as foil than with absorbent web such as paper. In practicing my method the use of an intaglio knurled cylinder for transferring the adhesive satisfactorily conthem one of the bearing blocks H, are rearwardly inclined as is the customary pair of rackbars, one of whichds shown at 51. I

The surface rewind rollers 54, 560: are preferably hollow, as stated, and they may be heated by the gas flame elements '58 and internally cooled by circulating cold water admitted through their hollow shafts 59. These surface rewindrollers 54, 54:: will be heated when a cold adhesive is employed so as to drive oil? water and hasten the drying of the adhesive. Also when hot melt is used, the heating of the said surface rewind rollers will serve to maintain the hot melt in suitable condition for adhesion preparatory to the bringing of foil intocontact with-the convolutions of the paper Web. The .use of a flow of cooling water within the surface rewind rollers is to act as a control for the temperature. Also certain types of adhesive require instantaneous chilling and in such case cooling and not heating will be employed.

In Figure 5 each side of the paper web receives adhesive, preferably a hot melt adhesive, prelimfines the initial deposit area' of the'adhesive to that desired, and inasmuch as the degree of lateral adhesive spreading may be determined by certain factors, primarily the thickness of the film applied, I am able to so apply the adhesive that it will not spread beyond the edges of the paper and foil bonded web structure, and,

at the same time, edge trimming can be eliminated altogether. y

In Figure '7 the foil web I which will directly receive the adhesive has been partially stripped away from the paper web 27 to show the lateral boundaries of the adhesive, the latter being indicated by stippling at a. For clarity of illustration, foil web I is shown as slightly narrower than the paper web but in practice the widths may be the same. The adhesive a has been applied by the adhesive transfer roller in such manner that narrow marginal areas'of the foil are free from adhesive. When the foil and paper ample, in the manner illustrated in Figure 5, and

thus entirely over the opposite faces of said paper web. The ,foil will be of slightly greater width than the paper, the slight excess width of the When the three webs are brought together unpan 6d. The heating may be effected by flowing foil being predetermined in accordance with the knownspread of the adhesive. This increased width of the foil may be controlled down to .32

der pressure and are bonded by the adhesive, no trimming will be required.

With regard to the inclined mounting of the positioning of the rewinding roll 9 and its rewind rollers as shown in Figures 3 and 5 and the enlarged diagrammatic views, Figures 9 and 10,

reception of shaft l0. Pivoted to member, I at its base by means of pivot stud 15 is a strap block 7 It having at its top an upwardly projecting stud Ti adapted to enter the aperture of a latch arm 13 pivoted at 19 upon member I Ix. It will be unders'tood that this arrangement will be employed at each end of the shaft.

When the rewinding roll 9 is ready to be removed from its position in full lines, Figure 9, the latches 18 will be raised, whereupon strap blocks It will drop and the rewinding roll with its shaft will move by gravity from its position in full lines to its position on table 89 as indicated by the dotted lines of that figure. The roll may then betransferred to a truck most conveniently and with a minimum of eflort. Thereupon rack 51 and the bearing blocks may be restored to initial position by rotating the hand wheel 8!, Figure 9.

By my method a single element, to wit, .the rewind roll, serves (a) to draw the webs without the necessity of controls; (b) mount the webs; heat or cool the webs; and, (d) rewind the webs. 7

Reference has been made'above to the use of cold adhesive, one type being water-soluble ad-- hesive. My method includes means for overcoming a serious obstacle in the use of such adhesive, which obstacle is presentedbecause the final structure is such that the adhesive is sealed in amaees by the foil webs and cannot escape. I have found that under a relative humidity of 50-55 the moisture content of average paper webs ranges from 6-8%. In my method the paper web one or the other of the surfaces, the paper imme-.

diately begins the process of absorption of water. However, due to the high speed of movement of the webs, this absorption does not affect the adhesion, and during the rewind operation, or shortly subsequent thereto, the paper web is restored to its normal water content, taken from .the adhesive, and,'at the same time, the adhesive is dehydrated to the extent that it per forms'its normal bonding function. To further assist in this operation, the rewind rollers are under temperature control, 1. e., being either heated or cooled; as conditions require.

It will be further seen that there is no possibility of lack of synchronism between the wind-in roll and various rotary elements intermediate that roll and roll of foil webs. All of these intermediate rotary members may be ldlers and these idlers, light in character, are, wherever necessary, supported by ball-bearings or roller-bearings.

The intaglio adhesive cylinders l8, 2|, 44 and 50, may be positively driven without affecting the synchronism just described since the adhesive transfer rollers may be idlers having light contact with the intaglio cylinders.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In an apparatus for laminating webs of foil and carrying web, a carrier roll for two webs of foil arranged face to face, a carrier roll for a carrying web, means for rewinding a roll of 1am.- inated foil and carrying web, guide means for the two-web foil andthe carrying web disposed intermediate the carrier rolls and the rewinding roll,

guide means for guiding the carrying web into initial engagement with one web of the foil only, means for applying adhesive to each face of the two-web foil, the means for applying adhesive to the foil face initially to be united with the carrying web being disposed along the path of the moving foil ahead of the place of initial engage= ment between the carrying web and the foil, the rewinding roll being adapted to receive the twoweb foil with the carryin web adhered to one face thereof and, upon its rotation, to bring the other face of the two-web foil into contact with the carrying Web.

2. In an apparatus for laminating webs of foil and carrying web constructed in accordance with claim 1, two surface rewind rollers for rotation and support of the rewinding roller, means for heating the surface rewinding rollers and means for circulating a cooling fluid internally of the surface rewind rollers.

3. In an apparatus for laminating webs of foil and paper, a carrier roll for two webs of foil are ranged face to face, a carrier roll for a web of paper, a rewinding roll, at least one surface rewind-roller for rotating the rewinding roll, at

shaft carrying said rewinding roll, two bearing bloclm for receiving said shaft, 9. set of rearwardly inclined spaced arms for receiving said bearing blocks, strap blocks pivoted to said shaft,

means to latch said strap blocks to said bearing blocks, the strap blocks being adapted to dropupon release of said latching means and a table having a receiving surface disposed at a height below the top of the rewind roller and adapted to receive the rewinding roll after release of said latching means.

4. In an apparatus for laminating webs of foil and a carrying web, a carrier roll for two webs of foil arranged face-to-face, a carrier roll for a carrying web, means for rewinding a roll of laminated foil and carrying web, guide means for the two-web foil and the carrying web disposed intermediate the carrier rolls and the rewinding roll, guide means for guiding the carrying web into initial engagement with one web of the foil only, means for applying adhesive to each face of the carrying web, the means for applying adhesive to the carrying web being disposed along the path of the moving carrying web ahead of the place of initial engagement between the carrying web and the foil, the rewinding roll being adapted to receive the two-web foil with the carrying web adhered to one face thereof, and, upon its rotation, to bring the other face of the two-web foil into contact with the carrying web.

5. In an apparatus for laminating webs of foil and a carrying web, a carrier roll for two webs of foil arrangednface-to-face, a carrier roll for a carrying web, means for rewinding a roll of laminated foil and carrying web, guide means for the two-web foil and the carrying web disposed intermediatethe carrier rolls and the rewinding roll, guide means for guiding the carrying web into initial engagement with one web of the foil only, means for applying adhesive to one face of the two-web foil, means for applying adhesive to one face of the carrying web, one of said means for applying adhesive being disposed along the path of the moving carrying web ahead of the,

and carrying web, a carrier roll for two webs of foil arranged face to face, a carrier roll for a 'carrying web, means for rewinding a roll of laminated foil and carrying web, guide means for the two-web foil and the carrying web disposed intermediate the carrier rolls and the rewinding r011, guide means for guiding the carrying web into initial engagement with one web of the foil only, means for applying adhesive initially to one face of the carrying web, and means for applying adhesive to the face of the two-web foil opposite the face to be united initially with the carrying web, the means for applying adhesive to said one face of the carrying web being disposed along the path of its movement ahead of the place of initial engagement between the carrying web and the foil, the rewinding roll being adapted to rewind the two-web foil with the carrying web adhered to one face thereof and, upon its rotation, to bring the other face of the two-web foil into contact with the other face of the carryme web.

'7. In an apparatus for laminating webs of foil and a carrying web, a carrier roll for two webs of foil arranged face to face, a carrier roll for the carrying web, means for rewinding a roll of laminated foil and carrying web, guide means for the two-webfoll and the carrying web disposed intermediate the carrier rolls and the rewinding roll, said guide means including means for guiding the carrying web into initial engagement with one web of the foil only, means for applying adhesive to at least one of the webs to adhesively bond one web of foil to one face of the carrying web on initial contact, the means for applying adhesive 10 being disposed ahead of the place of initial contact, the rewinding roll being adapted to receive the two-web foil with the carrying web adhered to one face of it and adapted, upon its rotation, to bring the other face of the two-web foil into contact with the carrying web, the rewinding roll and any of the two-web foil and the carrying web wound thereon bearing against a part of the guide means for at least one of the webs, to cause pressure to be applied between the carrying web and the web of said two-web foil remote from said part of the guide means.

RICHARD s. REYNOLDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

